What have they done to your Cuba cruise?

[Merion_Mom]

44 minutes ago, Big Kev said:

After getting email with our options, we decided to cancel our October 25th Empress O.S. cruise.. To experience Cuba was the prime  reason we were flying in from Australia.. Phoned and cancelled, and  email  "Cancellation Invoice" has arrived charging us our  deposit $200 ea ($400) "Cancellation Penalty" ..

WHAT THE ????????

 

Sue and Phil

 

 

That is not right.  That is not what they promised.  Call and ask them to fix it.  Should (emphasis on SHOULD) be an easy fix.

 

1 hour ago, Jam0610 said:

While I give RCL credit for their reaction and offer to credit our Cuban Cruise. TA does not suggest wife and I accept.

Empress is too small a ship to cruise open waters from Miami to Mexico. Even at half price.

The only reason we booked this cruise was for visiting Cuba.

 

No ones fault but wife and I will sail at a later date.

 

We have cancelled.

 

That is nonsense.  Cancel if you like, but not because "Empress is too small a ship to cruise open waters."  Just nonsense.

[xpcdoojk]

53 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

That is not right.  That is not what they promised.  Call and ask them to fix it.  Should (emphasis on SHOULD) be an easy fix.

 

 

That is nonsense.  Cancel if you like, but not because "Empress is too small a ship to cruise open waters."  Just nonsense.

 

Poor Columbus he was on a ship of a couple of tons sailing 500 years ago.  

 

Serious nonsense

 

jc

[Jam0610]

8 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

That is not right.  That is not what they promised.  Call and ask them to fix it.  Should (emphasis on SHOULD) be an easy fix.

 

 

That is nonsense.  Cancel if you like, but not because "Empress is too small a ship to cruise open waters."  Just nonsense.

Just trusting my TA who we have used for over 20 years. Felt we would  have a better time on a larger ship. Once Cuba was no longer available, rather plan something else.

Is a shame, we really were looking forward to the stops in Cuba.

 

 

[voyager70]

10 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

That is nonsense.  Cancel if you like, but not because "Empress is too small a ship to cruise open waters."  Just nonsense.

 

Exactly.  My first cruise back in 1982 was on the Sitmar Fairwind, a ship roughly half the size of Empress.  We sailed from Miami all the way down to the ABC islands and Cartegena, Colombia and back.  Had a wonderful time.

 

[LMaxwell]

21 hours ago, josh.vincent.180 said:

 

We are not close to FLL but with Southwest low fares we can get there relatively cheaply for 4 nights.  I have started looking at options.

 

 

The lowest I found was on Sept 7th for $191 per person with a $65 On Board credit for an interior room.  But we leave for Alaska Ovations on Sept 12th.

I am also thinking about asking if I book a cruise for wife and I and dont show up what is real cost.  Reason I ask is we are Emerald with 69 points and going on Ovation Sept 13 for anther 7 nights, getting up to 76.   We then have a JR suite on Freedom on Nov 24th.  If we can get the points to get us to diamond it might be worth it since I already have a $100 Royal Carribean Gift card that can only be used during booking.  

 

No show doesnt get points 

[ONECRUISER]

13 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

That is not right.  That is not what they promised.  Call and ask them to fix it.  Should (emphasis on SHOULD) be an easy fix.

 

 

That is nonsense.  Cancel if you like, but not because "Empress is too small a ship to cruise open waters."  Just nonsense.

Agree. 30-40yrs ago almost all the Cruise ships were smaller then size of Empress. This includes the "Love Boat"

[iheartbda]

19 hours ago, Jam0610 said:

While I give RCL credit for their reaction and offer to credit our Cuban Cruise. TA does not suggest wife and I accept.

Empress is too small a ship to cruise open waters from Miami to Mexico. Even at half price.

The only reason we booked this cruise was for visiting Cuba.

 

No ones fault but wife and I will sail at a later date.

 

We have cancelled.

Sailed to Bermuda on the Empress AND in, what some consider, prime hurricane season. That’s lots of open water and no issues at all.😁 I think Celebrity Zenith was even smaller and did the same itinerary in the same time. But, I suppose, to each his own.

[Smith0154]

20 hours ago, Jam0610 said:

While I give RCL credit for their reaction and offer to credit our Cuban Cruise. TA does not suggest wife and I accept.

Empress is too small a ship to cruise open waters from Miami to Mexico. Even at half price.

The only reason we booked this cruise was for visiting Cuba.

 

No ones fault but wife and I will sail at a later date.

 

We have cancelled.

Wow, I can't believe a travel agent would say that.  They must not know much about cruising.  I remember sailing on a ship half the size of Empress from New York to Bermuda quite some time ago.  All of 19,000 tons and we were in rough weather, no stabilizers.  It sailed just fine on the open waters of the Atlantic.  Empress primarily sails in the Gulf and Caribbean Sea.

 

Smitty

[CatsareCool]

Like y'all, I booked this cruise because I really wanted to go to Cuba. I am extremely disappointed, but the only thing within my power right now would be to cancel. With the 50% off we just might stick with it since the cruise was to start on our anniversary. Plus it is always great to be on a cruise. It's the October 17th sailing and I want to be optimistic that things will be different by then and we still might get to Cuba. A gal can hope can't she?

[Jam0610]

3 hours ago, iheartbda said:

Sailed to Bermuda on the Empress AND in, what some consider, prime hurricane season. That’s lots of open water and no issues at all.😁 I think Celebrity Zenith was even smaller and did the same itinerary in the same time. But, I suppose, to each his own.

You could be right. We are not the most seasoned cruisers. But we did want to go to Cuba. Without that, seems better to book something else.

[iheartbda]

7 minutes ago, Jam0610 said:

You could be right. We are not the most seasoned cruisers. But we did want to go to Cuba. Without that, seems better to book something else.

Believe me, I do get what you’re saying about wanting to go to Cuba. I sooo wanted to go and despite me worrying something like this would come up, I procrastinated booking. It’s a bummer all around.

[euro trash]

you can only fly into Cuba from the USA

[euro trash]

On 6/5/2019 at 9:07 AM, The Grumpus said:

The grandfathering appears to be specific to "group people-to-people educational travel" only.  Are Majesty and Empress cruises to Cuba considered group people-to-people educational travel?

you can still fly into Cuba from the USA no problem 

[euro trash]

On 6/4/2019 at 5:48 PM, Ms BumbleBee said:

I leave in 10 days for a Cuba only cruise on the Empress (3 days in Cuba and one Coco Cay).  I called and they said they have no information one way or another and plan to have a statement in 24 hours.

 

There are only a few options :

1  Get the cruises that are booked grandfathered in

2.  Change the itinerary

3. Cancel

 

In our case the entire itinerary is Cuba and I cannot imagine that they can get any ports other than maybe Bahamas and 3 trips to CoCo Cay LOL which I think would cause a mutiny.  And cancelling is not going to be an option so they better try to find a loophole.

 

I think the biggest issue is the government gave them no time to make adjustments.  I guess in 10 days I will either be having a staycation or Cuba.  No way I am spending 8 days floating aimlessly around Miami...

you can still fly into Cuba from the USA, no issues flights leave every day from major cities in the USA 

[euro trash]

you can only fly into Cuba from the USA

[euro trash]

On 6/5/2019 at 2:50 PM, Tony O said:

I just cheecked and my Empress cruise in December  2019 is still showing all 3 of the Cuban ports

you can only fly into Cuba from the USA

[euro trash]

On 6/4/2019 at 5:48 PM, Ms BumbleBee said:

I leave in 10 days for a Cuba only cruise on the Empress (3 days in Cuba and one Coco Cay).  I called and they said they have no information one way or another and plan to have a statement in 24 hours.

 

There are only a few options :

1  Get the cruises that are booked grandfathered in

2.  Change the itinerary

3. Cancel

 

In our case the entire itinerary is Cuba and I cannot imagine that they can get any ports other than maybe Bahamas and 3 trips to CoCo Cay LOL which I think would cause a mutiny.  And cancelling is not going to be an option so they better try to find a loophole.

 

I think the biggest issue is the government gave them no time to make adjustments.  I guess in 10 days I will either be having a staycation or Cuba.  No way I am spending 8 days floating aimlessly around Miami...

you can still fly into Cuba from the USA, no issues flights leave every day from major cities in the USA 

[euro trash]

On 6/4/2019 at 5:55 PM, carlakruz said:

We sail to Cuba in Nov.  I sure hope we get to go!!!

only if you fly in from the USA.

[euro trash]

On 6/4/2019 at 5:55 PM, carlakruz said:

We sail to Cuba in Nov.  I sure hope we get to go!!!

only if you fly in from the USA.

[not-enough-cruising]

5 minutes ago, euro trash said:

you can still fly into Cuba from the USA, no issues flights leave every day from major cities in the USA 

You can only fly to Cuba from the USA if you had a plane ticket purchased prior to June 5 and your trip meets the “humanitarian” requirements. 

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You can only fly to Cuba from the USA if you had a plane ticket purchased prior to June 5 and your trip meets the “humanitarian” requirements. 

You can fly at any time under any of the OFAC licenses. 

[euro trash]

9 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You can only fly to Cuba from the USA if you had a plane ticket purchased prior to June 5 and your trip meets the “humanitarian” requirements. 

not true under the 12 OFAC declaration just check off support for the Cuban people book your flight and hotel in Cuba from the USA, flights leave to Cuba every day from all US major cities you can fly into Cuba today if you wish via Miami as an American.  

Edited June 8, 2019 by euro trash

[not-enough-cruising]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

You can fly at any time under any of the OFAC licenses. 

 

1 minute ago, euro trash said:

not true under the 12 OFAC declaration just check off support for the Cuban people book your flight and hotel in Cuba from the USA, flights leave to Cuba every day from all US major cities.

I guess that’s what I meant by the humanitarian comment. Wasn’t really considering the OFAC license. 

[euro trash]

a lot of Americans are missed informed about travel to Cuba, you can still go to Cuba from the USA to date, with no issues from the USA, you just can't go there by ship, only fly in.

[LBumb]

We are still going on our cruise

switched Cuba for Bahamas 

disappointed but I love cruising. Will still be awesome